Ohio gives hospitals guidance to limit spread of measles amid largest US outbreak since 1994

COLUMBUS — Health officials have given Ohio hospitals updated guidance on dealing with patients who have measles and limiting the spread of the illness in health care environments as an outbreak continues to grow.

Ohio has 341 measles cases in nine counties. State health officials say it is the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. since 1994.

The state epidemiologist says health care facilities should make sure their employees have presumptive evidence of immunity to the illness. That could include documentation of receiving two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or laboratory confirmation that they previously had measles.

The outbreak started among Amish in Knox County who had traveled to the Philippines, which has had a measles epidemic.

Measles is caused by a virus. Symptoms include fevers, coughs, rashes and pink eye.